sport

House of Darwin completes 6th Hoop Dreams basketball court

Phoebe Blogg Published September 16, 2025 at 1.00pm (AWST)

Aerial image of House of Darwin's 6th Hoop Dreams bastekball court. (Image: supplied)

Created as a community-led initiative focused on revitalising basketball courts in remote and regional communities across Australia, House of Darwin's Hoop Dreams program has brought new life to courts in Yirrkala (Arnhem land NT), Gunbalanya (Arnhem Land, NT), Minmarama (Darwin, NT), Barunga (NT) and Wangkatjungka (Kimberly, WA).

Each project has involved local voices and creative input to reflect the culture and spirit of each place.

This month, House of Darwin celebrated the completion of the program's 6th Hoop Dreams court across the Northern Territory and Western Australia. From Yirrkala to Kalkarindji, Barunga to Gunbalanya, each court has been more than just a place to play, it's been a canvas for local artists, a meeting place for community, and a reminder that design and sport can spark connection.

*Aerial image of House of Darwin's 6th Hoop Dreams court complete. (Image: supplied)*

With every project being built alongside community - with local employment, co-design, and cultural storytelling at the heart - each court tells its own story. Together, they form a movement: reclaiming spaces, celebrating culture, and giving young people courts that feel like home.

This month the new court is located in Daguragu.

In 1975, sand was poured at Daguragu — marking the return of land and the end of a fight for rights that had begun a decade earlier. In 1966, around 200 Gurindji people walked off Wave Hill Station in protest against inhumane working conditions. They followed the river to Daguragu.

It was here that the fire of Aboriginal land rights was lit. Today, through the Hoop Dreams project, current and emerging leaders walk alongside those who stood in 1966 and their descendants — honouring their struggle and determination to be recognised.

*Community members playing on the new Hoop Dreams basketball court. (Image: supplied)*

"We hope this mural and basketball court can carry that same sense of connection, pride, and power within community," said House of Darwin founder Shaun Edwards

Hoop Dreams is a powerful example of how sport and art can come together to create lasting impact, transforming not just physical spaces, but the sense of pride, ownership, and connection within communities.

House of Darwin also extended a special thanks to their project partner, Intract, The Daguragu Community for sharing their story and The Gurindji People.

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